find your purpose
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SONG OF LYRAN historical and creative notes
Much of the symbolism in SONG OF LYRAN is inspired by or borrowed from Judaism and Jewish mysticism. Since the Hebrews (known to the ancient Egyptians as the Ivrim tribes, which included the Essenes) were the OGs of monotheism, it seemed a fitting tribute to include them in a book celebrating the concept. Also, because…
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Where do souls come from?
In the SONG OF LYRAN, readers follow the Line of Sekhmet from pre-history to the present day. This line is one of soul transference, taking for granted that in the world of the novel, reincarnation is how souls evolve. But where do they come from? And is there any connection between the soul theories of…
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Who — or what — are the Lyrans?
If you’ve heard of SONG OF LYRAN, you’ve probably wondered: what’s a ‘Lyran’? Well, settle in my friends and I’ll give you a little background on where the idea for the Lion-hearted Lyrans, exemplified by the character of Sekhmet, came from. I have to say that the villains of the book came to me first.…
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How Honey’s journey inspired one woman to stand up for herself
The greatest compliment you can pay an artist is to share how their work has affected you. Imagine how blown away I was when a reader shared how Honey’s journey in SONG OF LYRAN inspired her to be a hero in her own life.
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Song of Lyran on the road
Twenty years ago, I left my job in Amsterdam at Boom Chicago and started a five-month journey. One of the most significant stops was the Sunrock Vrachos resort on the island of Corfu in Greece. Known for spectacular sunsets, the island attracted young backpackers from all over. A two-night stay stretched into two weeks after…
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The symbolism of the Lyran eye
I love the cover art my child, Lex, created for SONG OF LYRAN. Central to its design is an eye, referencing the green-gold eyes shared by the women of the Line of Sekhmet. Because each of the women also share a shade of red hair, the lashes are ginger-toned. But there’s more to this image…
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Honey’s world
In SONG OF LYRAN, the landscape in Honey’s chapters plays a primary role. This is for a couple of different reasons. Readers follow Honey as she attempts to reclaim the world around her from the darkness of her adult-onset blindness, treading old pathways to see if she can remember how to do so safely, and…
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Info for Book Clubs and Reading Groups interested in SONG OF LYRAN
Are you a member of a book club or reading group? In the back of each edition of SONG OF LYRAN, there are questions you can discuss after reading. To make it easier to evaluate if this is a novel your group might enjoy, here are the questions. Feel free to add your own before…
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The importance of writing every day
Five years ago, I stumbled across a Stephen Hunter article. It asserted that you didn’t need luck or talent if you wanted to write a novel. All you needed to do was write every day. I’ve always loved books. I used to read all night and smuggle books into school, reading as I walked through…
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Love letter from a SONG OF LYRAN Beta reader
Writing a book is the easy part. During the first draft, you can put down anything you want. Then you have to clean it all up through a series of editing rounds. One of the early rounds involves getting people to read your book. These ’Beta readers’ give you insight into how other people might…